did. He knew Lord Manton, and he could not understand how he came to

believe, as apparently he did believe, in the murder of Dr. O’Grady. Mr. Goddard made up his mind that he would go up to Clonmore Castle and talk the whole matter over with Lord Manton. This was the solitary decision he was able to come to; though he was obliged to pledge himself over and over again to institute a strict search for the doctor’s body. He arrived at last in Clonmore and drove straight up to the hotel.

“You must be very tired,” he said to Miss Blow, “quite worn out. Now that the matter is in my hands, you need have no further anxiety. I hope you will stay quietly in the hotel and rest till I see you again.”

He spoke quite sincerely. He did hope that Miss Blow would go into the hotel and stay there. He feared that she might feel it necessary to follow him about and watch what he did.

“I shall inform you at once,” he went on, “of everything which transpires. I must spend this evening in making some preliminary inquiries; but there is no necessity for you to fatigue yourself further.”

Miss Blow looked at him long and searchingly. Mr. Goddard felt that she was judging of his strength and determination, was deciding whether she could fully trust him or not. He endeavoured to assume the expression of face which he believed to be common to those strong, silent Englishmen, whom the heroines of novels learn, after other people have turned out to be frauds, to trust to the uttermost. He was, apparently, quite successful in his effort. He deserved to be; for he really felt for the moment, with Miss Blow’s eyes on him, that he was exactly the kind of man he wished to appear. Miss Blow, without a word, stretched out her hand to him. He took it and ventured to press it slightly. He would have carried it to his lips and pressed a reverent kiss upon it, if Jimmy O’Loughlin had not been standing at the door of the hotel. Afterwards he was sorry that he had not defied Jimmy O’Loughlin. A reverent kiss, even if it had to soak through a glove, would have been most appropriate to the occasion.

Miss Blow got out of the trap and went into the hotel. Mr. Goddard drove on to the police barrack.

He found Sergeant Farrelly and Constable Cole drawn up before the door. They had seen their inspector drive into the town and were ready for him. Mr. Goddard at once ordered the sergeant to follow him into the barrack. Constable Cole mounted guard over the horse and trap.

“Now, sergeant,” said Mr. Goddard, “what have you to tell me about the disappearance of Dr. O’Grady?”

“There’s another man gone since then, sir,” said the sergeant gloomily.

“What do you mean? Who’s gone?”

“I thought it right to let you know, sir--I was within writing a report on the matter when I seen you drive into the town--that Patsy Devlin the smith is gone. His wife was up at the barrack shortly after Constable Moriarty left with the young lady, and she says he’s missing.”

“It’s a queer thing,” said Mr. Goddard, “that two men should disappear in this sort of way within a couple of days of each other. It looks bad. Let’s take them one at a time and see what we can make out of them. What have you to say about the doctor?”

“Everybody knows the reason he’s made off,” said the sergeant, “only nobody’d like to be telling the young lady, and that’s what has us all put about the way we are.”

“Do you mean debt?”

“I do, sir. It’s common talk. Jimmy O’Loughlin told me himself----”

“It’s not true anyhow, whether Jimmy O’Loughlin said it or not. Whatever it was made the doctor bolt, it wasn’t that.”

“Then I don’t know what it would be.”

“No more do I; but I’m going to see Lord Manton and talk to him about it.”

“It could be,” said Sergeant Farrelly, “that he’d know. Did you take notice of the note that he gave to the young lady?”

“Yes; I saw it.”

“Well now, his lordship couldn’t be believing that the doctor’s murdered, and whatever made him write that note it’s my opinion that there was something behind it. And what’s more, Jimmy O’Loughlin says----”

“Damn Jimmy O’Loughlin!”

“Jimmy O’Loughlin says,” went on the sergeant, “that his lordship knows something, be the same more or less, about Patsy Devlin. I wouldn’t wonder now if he’d be able to tell you where the both of the two of them is gone and why.”

“What about Patsy Devlin?” asked Mr. Goddard. “What sort of a man is he?”

“He’s no great things any way you take him. He’s a bit foolish at times, and takes more than is good for him. I hear them say that he fretted a deal when they didn’t make him the inspector of sheep dipping. It might be that the disappointment preyed on him, that and the drink, so as he wouldn’t be rightly responsible for what he did.”

“Was he mixed up with the League?”

“He was one time, but there was a falling out between him and them over the sheep dipping. Patsy wasn’t what you’d call great with the League since then. I’m told he had a deal of money collected for the sports. Jimmy O’Loughlin let out to me that----”

“It seems to me,” said Mr. Goddard, “that Jimmy O’Loughlin knows more about these disappearances than anybody else about the place.”

“Unless it would be Lord Manton,” said the sergeant.

“I’ll see Lord Manton anyhow,” said Mr. Goddard. “You can tell the constable to take my horse and trap round to the hotel. I’ll walk up to the Castle.”

“It’ll be well,” said the sergeant, “if you get seeing his lordship.”

He spoke meaningly. Mr. Goddard, who was half way to the barrack door, turned back.

“What’s that you say?”

“It’ll be well,” said the sergeant, “if you’re not told that his lordship’s away from home.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I was up there yesterday,” said the sergeant; “off and on I was there for the most of the day; and I was up there again to-day, and all I got by it was word that his lordship was away from home. Jimmy O’Loughlin was saying----”

“Go on,” said Mr. Goddard; “Jimmy O’Loughlin’s remarks are always valuable.”

“He was saying that his lordship was within all the time. It was his opinion--I’m not saying was he right or wrong--but it was his opinion that his lordship didn’t want the police next or nigh him.”

“Jimmy O’Loughlin,” said Mr. Goddard, “appears to be as big a fool as anybody about Clonmore.”